Abstract
In recent decades, harmful algal blooms have grown in North Africa and their appearances have increased in frequency and intensity. The impact of this phenomenon has invaded all the countries of the region by recurrent blooms of many harmful algal species producing various types of marine biotoxins including paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), lipophilic (LSP), amnesic (ASP) and probably ciguatera (CTX) that begins to emerge in neighbouring Islands.
Phytoplanktons strains of Alxandrium, Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, linguidinium are supposed to be the main producers of toxins in North Africa. However emergent species start to appear in this area as Ostreopsis and Gambriodiscus toxicus. The proliferation of those species is often accompanied by the detection of toxins exceeding the safety threshold, leading to the ban on fishing of marine organisms for long periods which leads to substantial economic losses.
The recurrent outbreaks of HAB have led some countries of the region to establish the monitoring networks for early warning. Moreover, these countries met in a regional network named HANA (Harmful Algae in North Africa) under the auspice of the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC, UNESCO) to deal with this phenomenon and try to contain and mitigate its damage and adverse effects.
In this communication will relate the spatiotemporal evolution episodes of harmful algal blooms in North Africa, the agencies responsible, marine biotoxins and profiles toxinic in shellfish. It will also introduce the issue of North African network Harmful Algae (HANA), its missions, goals and prospects.
Keys words: North Africa, HAB, marin biotoxins, HANA
